Sonia Gandhi expresses disappointment over SC gay ruling

New Delhi: Amid an uproar over the Supreme Court verdict on gay rights issue, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said that she is disappointed that the Apex Court has reversed a previous Delhi High Court judgement, decriminalizing homosexuality and hoped that Parliament would address the matter.

"I hope that Parliament will address the issue and uphold the constitutional guarantee of life and liberty to all citizens of India, including those directly affected by the judgement," the UPA chairperson said.

Sonia Gandhi said that she is ‘disappointed’ that the Supreme Court has reversed a previous Delhi High Court ruling on the issue of gay rights but also noted that the top court also suggested another course.

She was obviously alluding to the option of legislation.

"The High Court had widely removed an archaic repressive and unjust law that infringed on the basic human rights enshrined in our Constitution. This Constitution has given us a great legacy, a legacy of liberalism and openness, that enjoin us to combat prejudice and discrimination of any kind," the Congress president said in a statement.

She said, "We are proud that our culture has always been an inclusive and tolerant one.”

In a big blow to the LGBT community, the Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside the landmark High Court judgement decriminalizing gay sex and threw the ball in Parliament's court for amending law.